Apparatus for setting fabric



W. J. HOLM APPARATUS FOR SETTING FABRIC Sheet April 15, 1969 Filed. June 1, 1967 April 15, 1969 w. .1. HOLM APPARATUS FOR SETTING FABRIC Sheet ,2 of

Filed June 1, 1967 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM J. HOLM 011%, am cm ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,438,139 APPARATUS FOR SETTING FABRIC William J. Holrn, Springfield, Vt, assignor to Parks & Woolson Machine Co., Springfield, Vt., a corporation of Vermont Filed June 1, 1967, Ser. No. 642,798 Int. Cl. D06c 1/08 11.5. C]. 34-158 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Open width fabric is fed continuously onto a conveyor which carries it fully supported and tensionless at the proper speed through a steam zone where steam is applied in the proper amount while the selvedges are held down against displacement. From the steam zone the fabric is delivered in a relaxed state to a drying zone where it is carried supported and completely tensionless and where the fabric is cooled and dried by air pulled through fabric. A controlled amount of moisture is removed from the fabric at this stage and the fabric is set in both the warpwise and weftwise directions on a continuous basis and at a predetermined controlled rate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention This invention is directed generally towards the preshrinking fabrics and more particularly is directed towards a new and improved method and apparatus for continuously setting fabric in a predetermined and controlled manner and in both the warp ad weft directions.

(2) Description of the prior art Heretofore setting, or preshrinking, of fabrics has normally been done by hand, typically with men using sticks to pa dthe cloth which is drawn manually from a roll. This technique is quite slow with the output being on the order of three feet or so per minute. Since it is necessary to pre-shrink knit goods as well as other types of fabrics it is desirable that higher productivity be available and that the setting of the fabric be closely controlled as to length and width to insure uniform results. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel method and associated apparatus for preshrinking fabrics on a continuous, automatic basis and in such a manner to precisely control the setting of the fabric in both the warp and weft directions, in a controlled and repeatable fashion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention features the method of continuously setting a moving fabric web comprising the steps of advancing said web through a steam zone and applying steam in controlled amounts to the web while the fully supported web is in a tensionless condition and then advancing said web in a relaxed state to a drying zone Where it is subjected to drying conditions while fully supported and completely tensionless.

This invention also features apparatus for continuously setting fabric web, comprising a first conveyor which carries the web at the proper speed in open width form over a steam box where the proper amount of steam is applied. Belts are mounted along margins of the conveyor and move at the same speed as the conveyor in position to hold the Web selvedges down against the conveyor during the steaming operations to prevent uncurling and to prevent the selvedges from pulling in. A second conveyor receives the fabric from the first conveyor in a relaxed state to carry the steamed fabric over cooling 3,438,139 Patented Apr. 15, 1969 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a fabric setting machine made according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation thereof,

FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view of one of the selvedge hold down belts,

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a modification of the fabric setting apparatus, and

FIG. 5 is a view in side elevation of the FIG. 4 apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings and particularly to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, reference character 10 generally indicates an apparatus for continuously setting at predetermined controlled rates a running length of fabric web, such as knit goods or the like, generally organized into two functional portions namely, a steam section 12 and a drying section 14. The apparatus includes a frame comprised of upright and horizontal supports 16,-18 for mounting the various components.

On the left-hand side of the machine as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2, a frame mounted bracket 20 supports a feed roll 22 of a fabric web 24. The roll 22 is mounted over the leading edge of an inclined ramp 26 which leads the web 24 onto a moving apron conveyor 28. The feed roll 22 rides on a driven roll 30 which unwinds the feed roll 22 at a controlled rate. The driven roll 30 is connected by a belt 32 to a roll 34 over which the conveyor 28 is looped. A driver belt 36 connects the roll 34 to a variable speed drive unit 3-8 whereby both the conveyor 28 and the driven roll 30 are operated in unison. In practice, the unwinding speed of the feed roll 22 is controlled by means of an air clutch 40, or the like, which maintains just enough tension on the feed roll to insure that it unwinds in a smooth manner.

The fabric web 24 is unrolled in open width form up the ramp 26 onto the upper reach of the conveyor 28 which advances the web horizontally to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, fully supported throughout. It will be noted that the conveyor 28 is a foraminous material, preferably an open mesh nylon or the like. The conveyor 28 is looped over the roll 34 at the left-hand end of a steam box 42 and around a roller 44 at the right-hand end thereof. Another roller 46, located below the steam box, also engages the conveyor 28 to maintain constant tension on the conveyor while it is operating. Typically, the roller 46 may be spring-loaded or the like in order to provide the desired tension on the conveyor. Guide rollers 48 are employed to insure that the conveyor 28 tracks in a substantially straight path.

The steam box 42 typically is a rectangular housing with suitable connections 50 for introducing steam to the box interior. The steam box is provided with a horizontal upper wall 52 formed with a plurality of openings 54 through which steam escapes. The upper wall 52 serves to support the upper reach of the conveyor 28 which in turn supports throughout that portion of the fabric web 24 passing over the steam box. The conveyor 28 is, of course, advanced by the drive unit 38 by which the speed of the conveyor with the fabric may be precisely controlled. Steam regulating valves (not shown) are provided to control the flow of steam to the box.

Mounted above the steam box along either side there of are selvedge hold down belts 56. Each belt is looped over a pair of pulleys 58 and 60 mounted on the ends of spaced horizontal shafts 62 and 64 located generally at each end of the steam box with the pulley generally tangential to the upper reach of the conveyor 28. In order to keep the entire lower reach of the belt 56 downwardly flat against the fabric selvedges a plurality of belt guides 66 are located along the lower section of each belt. As best shown in FIG. 3, each belt guide comprises a bracket 68 mounted to the side of the steam box 42 and supporting a block 70 having a downwardly facing V groove 72 formed therein. Preferably the walls of the groove 72 are covered with a stratum 74 of Teflon, or the like, to provide a low-friction surface against which the V belt 56 rides. While four such belt guides at 66 are shown for each belt these are only by way of example since the number may be varied according to the length of the belt or a single elongated belt guide extending substantially the full length of the lower reach of its belt may be employed for each belt.

The speed of the conveyor 28 is controlled as is the amount of steam fed into the steam box so that the fabric receives a proper amount of steam. Insofar as the amount of steam required for optimum setting conditions varies from one fabric to another minor adjustments may be re quired between different runs of fabric.

From the steam stage 12 of the fabric web 24 is delivered to the drying section 14. The drying section includes a second conveyor 76 looped between rolls 78 and 80 located at each end of the drying section and providing a horizontal reach for the conveyor 76 which is in a plane below the plane of the upper reach of the steam conveyor 28. In this fashion the fabric 24, discharged from the steaming section, will drop down onto the cooling conveyor 76. The speed of the cooling conveyor 76 is controlled with respect to the speed of the steam conveyor 28 so that there is no tension at the drop zone, indicated by reference character 82, between the two sections. For optimum setting of the fabric it is important that there be no tension at the drop off between the steaming and the drying stages so that the fabric is delivered onto the drying stage in a completely relaxed condition. The drying stage conveyor is provided with a tension roller 84 similar to the tension roller 46 for the steam conveyor. Similarly selvedge hold down belts 86 are mounted above the upper reach of the conveyor to hold down the fabric selvedges against uncurling during the drying process. Pulleys 88 and 90 serve to mount the belts and one of the pulleys is driven to move the belt at the same speed as the conveyor to insure that the fabric is carried in a tensionless condition through the drying stage. Belt guides 92 are provided similar to the belt guides 66 for the belt 56.

The drying conveyor 76 is of a foraminous material and typically may be an open mesh nylon fabric such as that used for the steam conveyor. The upper reach of the drying conveyor 76 moves over a pair of cooling hoods 94 and 96 suitably connected by ducts 98 to blowers which are adapted to pull a vacuum on the hoods 94 and 96. Each hood is provided with a fiat upper surface 100 in the form of a foraminous plate over which the upper reach of the conveyor 76 rides. As the conveyor 76 carries the fabric over the cooling hoods, air is pulled down through the fabric and is carried out through the ducts 98. This flow of air cools and dries the fabric which is important to the setting of the fabric since a certain amount of moisture must be removed for proper setting. The speed of the drying conveyor 76 is controlled to eliminate tension on the fabric which is presented to it in a relaxed state. Similarly the air flow through the fabric is also controlled by dampers or by adjusting the speed of the exhaust blowers to insure an optimum and controlled drying process.

To insure that speeds of the two conveyors 28 and 76 are such that no tension is applied to the fabric at the drop 82 automatic control means may be provided such as an electric eye 102 located at the drop 82. It will be understood that should the fabric become tensioned be cause of a differential in speeds between the two conveyors, the fabric will pull up across the eye and the electric eye will be actuated to either produce a signal for the operator or to alter the speed of the drive so as to return the fabric to a relaxed state. A similar eye may be located below the first to detect an excessive drop in the cloth at this zone.

A variable speed drive 104 is also provided for driving the conveyor 76. It will be appreciated that insofar as the fabric is undergoing dimensional changes both as to length and to width the speeds of the two conveyors will not be exactly the same. If the two conveyors are running at exactly the same speed the shrinking of the fabric in the drying stage would produce a tension at the drop between the two stages, which tension would interfere with the proper setting of the fabric. Thus the drying conveyor must be moved at a slightly lower speed than the steam conveyor 28. The precise speeds of the two conveyors must be adjusted according to the fabric being processed since the amount and rate of shrinkage varies from one type of fabric to another.

From the drying stage the fabric is passed on to another process or rolled up into a roll 106. By carefully regulating both the speed of the conveyors as well as the steam and air flow, close control may be maintained over the degree of web shrinkage both in the warp and weft direc tions.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 is identical to the principal embodiment with the exception that brushes and 112 are used in place of the holddown belts as a means for keeping the web selvedges flat against the supporting conveyor.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 the brushes 110 and 112 are mounted over the drying section of the apparatus in a slightly diverging arrangement with the axes of the brushes extending generally lengthwise of the web and over the web selvedges. While supporting bearings and drive means are not shown in the drawings, this is only for the sake of clarity and it will be understood that the brushes are suitably journaled and driven so that the brushes will rotate counter to one another to brush the fabric outwardly from the center line of the web. It is necessary only that the brushes engage the selvedges under light pressure since it is necessary only to hold the selvedges down flat and prevent uncurling without applying any appreciable tension on the fabric, particularly in the drying zone.

By precisely controlling the various parameters of conveyor speeds, steam heat and amount and air flow very precise control can be obtained over the shrinking rate of the fabric. Typically, the fabric will shrink at a greater rate lengthwise than it will widthwise. By reason of these dimensional changes which take place during the process, compensation must be made in the speeds of the two conveyors. Normally, once the apparatus has been adjusted to process a particular run of fabric, no other adjustment need be made since the machine will run automatically. Production with this process and apparatus is greatly increased over prior techniques with the output being on the order of 10 to 20 yard a minute or more. A highly uniform product is obtained on an automatic basis and without large manpower requirements.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patents of the United States 1. Apparatus for automatically and continuously setting a fabric web, comprising (a) a steam box having a first foraminous horizontal rigid wall,

(b) a first continuous foraminous belt at least as wide as said web for carrying said web in open width form fully supported and tensionless over said wall,

(c) a suction box having a second foraminous horizontal rigid wall,

(d) a second continuous foraminous 'belt at least as wide as said web for carrying said web in open width form fully supported and tensionless over said suction box wall, and,

(e) a pair of narrow endless belts mounted over at least said first belt parallel to the edge thereof and bearing against the upper marginal edge ofsaid web and generally coextensive with the upper reach of said first conveyor, and movable therewith,

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second belt is disposed below the plane of said first belt and forwardly thereof.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for driving said first belt faster than said second belt.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a pair of rotary cylindrical brushes mounted above said second foraminous belt and in position to engage the web selvedges, said brushes rotating outwardly from the center line of said web.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said suction box wall is located below the plane of said steam box wall.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 including variable speed drive means for running said conveyors at independent speeds.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,174,215 9/1939 Rose 38-2 2,409,543 10/1946 Chatfield 26-185 2,591,621 4/1952 Shegda 34-158 2,798,280 7/1957 Franklin 26-185 KENNETH W. SPRAGUE, Primary Examiner. 

